DingwallDingwall (Scots: Dingwal,[1] Scottish Gaelic: Inbhir Pheofharain)[2]
(Scottish Gaelic pronunciation: ['iɲɪɾʲ 'fjɔhəɾan]) is a
town and a royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It
has a population of 5,491. It was formerly an east-coast harbour but
now lies inland.
Dingwall CastleDingwall Castle was once the biggest castle north of
Stirling. On the town's present-day outskirts lies Tulloch Castle,
parts of which may date back to the 12th-century building. In 1411 the
Battle of DingwallBattle of Dingwall is said to have taken place between the Clan Mackay
and the Clan Donald.

History[edit]
Its name, derived from the Scandinavian Þingvöllr (field or
meeting-place of the thing, or local assembly; compare Tynwald,
Tingwall,
ThingwallThingwall in the British Isles alone,[3] plus many others
across northern Europe), preserves the
VikingViking connections of the town;
Gaels call it Inbhir Pheofharain
(pronounced [iɲiɾʲˈfjɔhəɾaiɲ]), meaning "the mouth of the
Peffery" or Baile Chàil meaning "cabbage town".[4][5]
The site of the Þingvöllr, and of the medieval Moothill, lies
beneath the Cromartie memorial.
DingwallDingwall formerly served as the county town of the county of Ross and
Cromarty. It lies near the head of the
Cromarty FirthCromarty Firth where the valley
of the Peffery unites with the alluvial lands at the mouth of the
Conon, 14 miles (23 km) northwest of Inverness.

Hill Street, Dingwall

In the early Middle Ages
DingwallDingwall was reputed to have the largest
castle north of Stirling.[6]
King Alexander II created
DingwallDingwall a royal burgh in 1226, and James IV
renewed its charter. On the top of
KnockfarrelKnockfarrel (Gaelic: Cnoc
Fhearghalaigh), a hill about three miles (5 km) to the west,
stands a large and very complete vitrified fort with ramparts.
The 18th-century town house, and some remains of the ancient mansion
of the once powerful earls of Ross, still exist. An obelisk, 51 feet
(16 m) high, was erected over the grave of Sir George Mackenzie,
1st Earl of Cromartie, near the parish church of St Clement. It was
affected by subsidence, becoming known as the "Leaning Tower", and was
replaced by a much smaller replica in the early years of the 20th
century. However even this is now marked by signs saying "Keep Out" on
the grounds that it is a dangerous structure.
The Ferry Road drill hall was completed in 1910.[7]
DingwallDingwall suffered widespread flooding during storms in late October
2006, during which the weather cut off much of the Highlands north of
Inverness, including the A9 and
Far North LineFar North Line for a significant
period of time.[8]
Sports[edit]
DingwallDingwall is the home of football team Ross County, who won promotion
to the
Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Premier League in 2012 and finished the 2012/13 season
in fifth place. Despite the town's small population, Ross County
attract sizeable crowds to Victoria Park thereby maintaining the UK's
most northerly full-time squad. The team reached the 2010 Scottish Cup
Final, having knocked out Celtic in the previous round. Over 17,000
Staggies fans travelled to the match.
Ross County won their first piece of silverware in 2016 by winning the
Scottish League Cup beating Hibernian 2-1 in the final with the
winning goal by Alex Schalk.[9]
Amenities[edit]
Dingwall railway stationDingwall railway station has lain on what is now called the Far North
Line since circa 1865. It also serves the Kyle of Lochalsh Line, with
the junction between the two lines being located within the town. The
station is served with around 26 trains a day, 14 of which go to
Inverness. The town contains the shortest and most northerly canal in
the UK, the
DingwallDingwall Canal.
The
Highland Theological CollegeHighland Theological College is located within the town. It is
part of the
University of the Highlands and IslandsUniversity of the Highlands and Islands and has been
approved by the Church of Scotland, the United Free Church and other
denominations as a training provider for those entering ministry.
Parliamentary burgh[edit]

Dingwall's Coat of Arms

DingwallDingwall was a parliamentary burgh, combined with Dornoch, Kirkwall,
Tain and Wick in the Northern Burghs constituency of the House of
Commons of the
Parliament of Great BritainParliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of
the Parliament of the
United KingdomUnited Kingdom from 1801 to 1918.
CromartyCromarty was
added to the list in 1832.
The constituency was a district of burghs known also as Tain Burghs
until 1832, and then as Wick Burghs. It was represented by one Member
of Parliament. In 1918 the constituency was abolished and the Dingwall
component was merged into the county constituency of Ross and
Cromarty.
Notable residents[edit]

Prof James Alexander MacDonald
FRSEFRSE FIB (1908-1997) botanist, born and
raised in Dingwall.[10]